Hope

First Day on the Job

The following day Cooper put on her fatigues and then went to grab herself some breakfast. However, as she went into the galley, the kitchen staff all stopped working and stood at attention when someone yelled ten-hut.

"At ease," Cooper responded as she grabbed a tray.

"How may I help you?" the lead culinary officer asked.

"I'm just getting some breakfast," Cooper said.

"If you like, I can send up a tray to your room."

"No, thank you. I want to get to know everyone on Hope. I can't do that if I am sequestered in my room when I am off shift."

"Yes ma'am," the cook replied. "Enjoy your meal."

"Thank you," Cooper said as she left the galley and headed for the mess hall.

The mess hall was right next to the galley and consisted of quite a few plastic benches and tables bolted to the floor. Yet again, someone yelled ten-hut as she entered the cafeteria, and everyone rose to their feet at attention.

"At ease," she ordered. "Please continue your meal."

After looking around the mess hall, she noticed a table where five junior officers were eating. She went over to that table and asked, "May I sit with you?"

"Of course, Ma'am," a very young ensign replied since no-one else said anything.

"Thank you," she said as she sat in an empty seat. "So, how has the chow been so far?"

"It's been great so far," a female lieutenant junior grade chimed in. "I haven't had such good food this side of Luna."

Cooper laughed as she opened her tray. Inside, she found it contained a breakfast of scrambled eggs, two strips of bacon, and toast. It pleasantly surprised her that there was a package of orange marmalade inside the tray instead of the grape jelly they had constantly given her on the Lexington. 'I don't know how the Yanks can eat it every day.'

Upon trying a little of the eggs, Cooper realized something. These weren't powdered eggs, these were real eggs. "Oh, wow, these eggs are fantastic!"

"Try the bacon," the female lieutenant urged her.

"Wow! This is real bacon! It's actually made from a dead pig!" Cooper exclaimed. "Is today a holiday or something, or do you eat this well every day?"

"Every day."

"If all the food is this good, I'm going to gain weight in no time."

All the junior officers couldn't help but laugh at her comment.

---

After she ate, she spent an hour getting to know the junior officers. They were of all from different Empires, races, and ethnicities. Despite their many differences, they got along well. 'This is how the Alliance is supposed to operate,' Cooper mused.

"Oops I'm going to be late for my shift on the bridge if I don't hurry," Cooper said. "I hope I get to chat with you again soon."

Cooper quickly made her way to the command-and-control room. 'Thank goodness the corridors are two meters wide so people can pass each other quickly,' she realized as she rushed to her destination.

Upon entering the bridge, Cooper walked over to the captain's chair where Simmons was sitting. He looked awful, with bags under his eyes and his hair looking like he hadn't combed it in a week.

Cooper said, "You look tired. Pulling a double shift as the commanding officer looks like it's pretty draining."

"The hard part was trying to remember all fifty-one names of the crew on Mainday shift. That turned out to be the hardest part of the job. After all, we are just in orbit of Ceres, so things are pretty quiet overall."